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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24632182">Thicker than Water</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/DolphinsShouldVote/pseuds/DolphinsShouldVote'>DolphinsShouldVote</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bending AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender, 逆転裁判 | Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(for atla), Angst, Bloodbending (Avatar), Canon-Typical Violence, Family Issues, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I lichrally hate him, I wrote this as gen but you could interpret it as romantic if you want, Im Kristophobic, Kristoph is only mentioned though, Mentioned Blaise Debeste, Mentioned Phoenix Wright, Past Child Abuse, this takes place shortly after investigations 2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 00:54:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,592</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24632182</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/DolphinsShouldVote/pseuds/DolphinsShouldVote</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Klavier Gavin is a genius, a prodigy prosecutor. Sebastian Debeste... is not. Even so, Sebastian knows a few things about betrayal that Klavier is just too stubborn to believe.</p><p>TW- This story discusses child abuse, as well as including a character who has been gaslighted. If that is a triggering topic for you, please do not read.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Garyuu Kyouya | Klavier Gavin &amp; Ichiyanagi Yumihiko | Sebastian Debeste</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Bending AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1780918</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Thicker than Water</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is another installment of my Bending AU! I hope you enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Sebastian Debeste and Klavier Gavin were close friends. They were in the same year at Themis Legal Academy, and in the same prosecutor courses. They were both in the music club, and were both set to graduate and take the bar extremely early as well. They had been fully fledged prosecutors together for only a few months before Sebastian’s school achievements had been called into question, and along with them, his passing grade on the bar exam. When he had to return to Themis and retake all the classes his father had bribed his way through, the pair started to fall out of touch. Sebastian found himself overwhelmed with just how much he didn’t know. It was hard to keep up with friends when you were constantly studying. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He was still in school when he heard the news. That evening, he called his old friend.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hallo?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klavier! Is it really true?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Was? Is what really true?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That you disbarred Phoenix Wright! The Turnabout Terror himself! It’s all anyone at Themis can talk about!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The voice on the other end of the phone was more hesitant than expected. “Really? They’re saying I did it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well you did, didn’t you? Don’t be so modern!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Modest, you mean?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that. You took down one of the most famous defense attorneys in the country! You should be proud!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know.” he sighed. “I just can’t help but think… no, nevermind.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tell me! What’s wrong?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ach… Phoenix Wright was someone who was always a sort of… epitome of ethics. He took down all kinds of corruption. But seeing him now… He used to have such strong morals, at least I thought so. This isn’t like him. What if… being in this business long enough just makes someone go bad, no matter how much they try and avoid it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sebastian wasn’t sure how to answer that. “Uh… Maybe he really was corrupt from the beginning. It would make more sense than completely abandoning his idols.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ideals. And I suppose you’re right. It’s just depressing to think that maybe someone else out there that we all idolize is really another forger, and we have no idea.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well if there’s another one, I’m sure you’ll catch them too! That was genius! How did you even figure it out?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a long stretch of silence on the other side. “Klavier? You still there?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ja, I’m still here. I… I am not the one who figured out the forgery, actually. It was my brother.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Kristoph?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ja, Kristoph. He told me the night before the trial that Wright would present forged evidence. He never told me how he knew.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You think maybe he was in on it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Was?! Nein, of course not! Kris would never forge evidence! He is noble and honest… I know him. He wouldn’t do something like that… I think.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sebastian was reminded of himself, just a few short months ago. He never thought his Pops was capable of corruption. Even if he wasn’t ‘Debeste’ father, Sebastian knew he was a renowned prosecutor for a reason. He was blind to all his crimes until the very end. He only hoped that his friend wasn’t going to go through the same thing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“... Just don’t let your love for your brother keep you from being crinoline of him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Critical?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know what I mean! I’m just saying… I know what it’s like to have someone you care about end up being a criminal. I don’t want you to fall into the same trap as I did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I won’t. This is different, Kristoph isn’t… He doesn’t… He is kind. He is a good person. He would never hurt anyone. I refuse to believe he would-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klavier! Do you even hear yourself?! You sound just like I did when I talked about my Pops back then! Listen to me! I’m not saying he’s a criminal for sure, just ask him how he knew about the forgery. Look into it, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stop saying things like that! Kristoph is nothing like your father and I am nothing like you! Don’t you think I would realize if my own family was doing something like that?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you saying you’re smarter than me, that you can magically see through cover ups and lies?! ‘Cause you can’t! Not if they’re any good!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What I am saying is that at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> would realize my brother was a bad person if he burned the shit out of me all the time! Not everyone is as oblivious as you!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ach, wait. Sebastian I didn’t mean-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Goodbye, Klavier.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hung up the phone and burst into tears. The phone rang again, twice, but each time he sent it straight to voicemail. He deleted each one without playing them. If Klavier wouldn’t listen, that wasn’t Sebastian’s problem. He had done what he could for his friend, and if he refused to accept his help, so be it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He pulled off one of his gloves, revealing skin marred with deep burn scars. He flexed his hand, then made a fist. He wiggled his fingers, watching how his knuckles rippled up and down under the thick scar tissue as he moved. Was he really that dumb? How could he have thought that the man who would purposefully burn and constantly belittle his own child actually held any love for him? What an idiot.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They didn’t talk to each other for a long while after that. It had been a few months when Sebastian got a call at 2 in the morning. It was from Klavier. He started to go for the red ignore button, but something told him this was important. It was the first time Klavier had reached out since their fight, and in the middle of the night, too. Was he drunk or something? He reluctantly accepted the call.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you know what time it is? What do you want?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sebastian…” The word was whispered, as if there were someone nearby that shouldn’t be hearing their conversation. Listening closely, he could hear Klavier’s shaky breathing, as if he had been crying. He sat straight up in bed and turned on the lamp.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klavier? Are you alright?! What’s going on?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I… Kristoph, he…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? What did he do?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>There was a choked sob, clearly Klavier was making an effort to be quiet.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Klavier, take a deep breath for me, okay? Is he still there?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s in the apartment. Not in my room, though.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay. Is there a way for you to leave without him seeing you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I… Yes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Alright. Stay on the phone with me, and try and get out of the house. I’ll come get you, okay? You can stay with me tonight.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“...Okay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sebastian immediately put on his shoes, grabbed his backpack, and ran out the door. Being a 17 year old who lived on his own, he didn’t have a car. Thankfully, he found there was an uber just a block away when he opened the app. The whole ride, he was running through all the things that could have happened. Did he hit Klavier? Throw something? Push him to the ground? Kick him? Cut him? Something worse? He didn’t realize he was still in his pajamas until he ran a hand through his hair and realized they were missing the white gloves he always wore. Quickly, he shoved them in his pockets. By the time he got to Klavier’s neighborhood, the other man was sitting on a bus stop bench a few blocks away from his home. Sebastian leaned out the window. “Klavier!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The blond’s head whipped around, startled until he saw Sebastian. His eyes were red and his cheeks stained with tears. Practically jumping out of the car, Sebastian’s eyes darted all over Klavier’s body. No blood. No bruises that he could see. But that didn’t really mean much. Without warning, Klavier pulled the other man into a crushing hug, burying his face in Sebastian’s shoulder. Sebastian rubbed the other man’s back as his body shook with quiet sobs. He knew he should say something, but all the words that came to mind were wrong. He stayed silent. After a few moments, Klavier pulled away and wiped his eyes. As soon as Klavier sat down in the car, Sebastian unzipped his backpack and pulled out a first aid kit. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, where are you hurt? Do you want to go to urgent care?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klavier sniffed. “I’m fine. He didn’t hurt me. Let’s just go to your place, ja?” The car turned around and started making its way back to the Academy. There was an awkward silence between the two passengers, who hadn’t spoken in months. This wasn’t exactly the best environment for small talk. It lasted all the way until they got back to Sebastian’s dorm room. Seeing as there were fewer live-in students than previous years, the room had an extra bed and no roommate.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you ready to talk now?” They both sat cross-legged on Sebastian’s bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klavier nodded and took a deep breath. “You know my brother and I are both waterbenders, ja?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klavier swallowed. “Well, um… I was asleep in bed, and then all of a sudden a strange feeling woke me up. It felt like… I don’t even know how to describe it. It was like, I could feel my heart pounding, but everything was numb. I couldn’t move. It was like I was possessed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, I looked around, and Kristoph was standing in my doorway. He was… he looked like a demon, or like a completely different person. At first I thought it was a dream, or sleep paralysis or...something. He started to move his hands like he was bending, but there wasn’t any water anywhere. Then, I stood up… Well, my body stood up. I didn’t actually try to move, but I wasn’t the one controlling my body. I couldn’t do anything except what he made me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He was bloodbending you?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klavier took a shaky breath. “Ja, he was. He didn’t make me do anything bad. It was like he was testing out what he could do with me. He made me walk around and open a door and pick up different things. I tried to resist, but he was too strong. He was just playing around, like I was a doll or a puppet.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god. That’s sick!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When he was done, he made me get back in bed and then just left. No explanation. That is when I called you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you… do you have a theorem as to why he did it?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A theory? Nein. He didn’t make me do anything, why would he…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you think maybe he was practicing?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? Like he’s going to do it again?!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sebastian remembered their last conversation. The last thing Klavier needed was for that argument to be replayed when he was so distressed. “... I don’t know. He might. Isn’t bloodbending really difficult? It’s possible he was trying to figure it out before he used it for… whatever he was going to use it for.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klavier shuddered. “That was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever had happen to me. Having someone else in complete control... I don’t know if I can go through that again. Especially if he makes me… I don’t know. Steal something? It would have to be something illegal if he wouldn’t do it himself.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe… Maybe he’s planning to use it on someone else?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I hope to god you’re wrong. Bloodbending is… you can kill someone like that. It would be virtually undetectable in an autopsy, it would look just like a stroke. If he’s trying to hone his skills, maybe he’s planning to…” Klavier’s tan face paled. “No, he couldn’t.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He bloodbended his own brother. I think he could.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No. Maybe he was just curious? He knows I wouldn’t report him for it. I’m sure that’s it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just be careful, okay? He could be planning something really dangerous.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure it’ll be alright.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sebastian let it rest. Arguing wouldn’t get him anywhere with Klavier, so he changed the subject. “Hey, I was wondering. Why me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Why did I call you, you mean?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Aren’t you… aren’t you mad at me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nein, not really. When we last spoke, I was coming down from an adrenaline high, I had taken down the ‘Forgin’ Phoenix’. I was just… overwhelmed, I suppose you could say. I should be apologizing to you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But still, don’t you have friends who you’d want to talk to more than me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have other friends. But I trust you the most. Plus, you… could understand.” His gaze drifted to the marbled, warped skin on Sebastian’s ungloved hands before snapping back up to his face. “I mean, of course what your father did to you is so much worse than this, but I thought maybe you would know what to do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Honestly, Klavier, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> know what to do. I didn’t know what to do back then, either. Kristoph isn’t my brother, I don’t really know him. You’re the one who knows how he’ll retract- no, react to different things. Whatever you decide, I’ll try and help, but you need to make the decision.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think I’m going to talk to him about it. I need to know why.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay. But I think maybe you should stay here tonight. Just in case. Give him some time to cool off.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My brother is already the ‘Coolest Defense in the West’, I’m sure he doesn’t need any time for that. But it is a good idea. Bloodbending requires a full moon, so he could do it again anytime tonight.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Seeing the fear on his friend’s face, Sebastian immediately stood up and locked the deadbolt on his door with a click. Despite this, neither of them got much sleep that night.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kristoph never did bloodbend again that night. He never used the skill on Klavier again, nor did he even acknowledge that he did. The next day, when Klavier came back to the apartment to confront him about it, Kristoph dismissed him without a glance.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You must have just had a nightmare.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Klavier was far from convinced. Every time his brother left the apartment on the night of a full moon, he worried about what he could be doing out there. Most of the time, Kristoph’s answer was the same. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was just paying a visit to Phoenix.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Of course, Kristoph visited the disgraced attorney other times, too. Klavier never really understood why they would spend so much time together. Did the other man know who was really responsible for his disbarment? Were they friends? Lovers? Did Wright act as Kristoph’s secret assistant on cases too tough to crack? Was Kristoph trying to track down other forgers through him? Was Wright another victim of Kristoph’s bloodbending? Did he provide forged evidence for Kristoph? Klavier never got much by way of answers to these questions from his brother. Whenever he asked, Kristoph’s answer was the same.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We were just talking.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Even after his brother was taken down by his own apprentice, even after his arrest and his own trial, even as he was awaiting execution, Klavier never got any answers from his brother. How long had he had this plan? Where did he get the poison? Had he ever used his bloodbending on someone else? Why did he do it to Klavier in the first place? Had he ever commissioned any other forged evidence? And most prominently: Why did he do it?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Kristoph Gavin took every single answer to his grave.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hey y'all! I'm definitely going to be continuing this AU, so if there's anything you really want to see done with it, please let me know! As always, please leave a comment if you enjoyed this, they mean a lot to writers!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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